The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan Chapter 169 : Interrogation

The dark interior flickered with light.

In a place that felt like a basent, Cha Yul-ryeong was silently mixing herbs.

"..."

Nearby, soone was standing, bound in chains.

With chains on both feet, one arm, and his neck, the person was pressed against the wall, unable to move.

*Swoosh—.*

Cha Yul-ryeong took the mixed dicine and walked towards the person.

Stopping right in front, he spoke, his cold gaze piercing him.

"Get up."

"..."

There was no hint of rcy in his tone.

As if looking at trash, it was clear that even speaking to him was unpleasant.

"Hehehe..."

Hearing Cha Yul-ryeong's voice, the man bound in chains raised his head.

A smiling face, as if he found the blatant unpleasantness coming from the front rather amusing.

As Gok I-hyeon smiled and looked at him, Cha Yul-ryeong's brow furrowed slightly.

"...Eat it."

"What on earth is that?"

"It's dicine. Even a dying person can hold on for a while if they eat this."

"Hehehe... so that ans I'll die in the end."

"..."

Cha Yul-ryeong was extrely displeased with the fact that he was making dicine for Gok I-hyeon.

To think he was using his knowledge for a remnant of the Blood Dragon Cult, of all people.

He had made countless dicines until now, but this was the first ti he had been so reluctant to hand one over.

"In the first place, I have no reason to save you."

"..."

"If the Headmaster hadn't ordered to keep you alive, I would have killed you right now."

"...You're still a cold person."

Gok I-hyeon said with a grin.

"And to think we were once fellow teachers who taught students together."

"..."

"To speak so unhesitatingly about killing a colleague, you're truly ruthless."

Clang—.

Just then, a sharp sound echoed through the interior.

The bowl Cha Yul-ryeong had been holding was now in pieces on the floor, and the dicine inside was scattered everywhere.

"You have no right to call yourself a teacher."

"..."

"In the world, they don't call soone who tried to kill a student a teacher."

Cha Yul-ryeong's voice was calm.

However, Gok I-hyeon could tell that a quiet anger was contained in that voice.

"...Unexpected."

"..."

"Cha Yul-ryeong, I didn't know you cared so much about your students."

Cha Yul-ryeong said nothing in response.

After staring at Gok I-hyeon silently for a while, he turned his body sharply, as if he had no more business with him.

"I know, Teacher Cha."

It was then.

At those words suddenly heard from behind, Cha Yul-ryeong stopped walking again.

"..."

In that state, Cha Yul-ryeong turned back.

There, Gok I-hyeon was still smiling aningfully, and Cha Yul-ryeong looked at him for a mont before opening his mouth.

"...What do you know?"

"Hehehe—."

"..."

At Cha Yul-ryeong's question, Gok I-hyeon just laughed.

Was it just a bluff?

Cha Yul-ryeong imdiately thought so and was about to turn his head again.

"Blood Spot Grass."

"...!"

"I know why you're researching it."

Cha Yul-ryeong looked at Gok I-hyeon again.

What was felt in his eyes was clear bewildernt.

He tried to hide that emotion with his characteristic expressionless face, but Cha Yul-ryeong was so flustered that he couldn't completely hide it.

"Curious?"

"..."

"You must be very curious how I know that."

Gok I-hyeon said and laughed out loud.

Cha Yul-ryeong was glaring at him sharply, but he couldn't easily open his mouth.

'No... there's no way this guy would know that.'

Gok I-hyeon wouldn't have been here at that ti.

Even if not, he had kept it a thorough secret so as not to be discovered by the outside until now, so it made no sense that Gok I-hyeon knew that.

"You..."

It was then.

The mont Cha Yul-ryeong broke the silence and was about to open his mouth, the sound of soone walking this way was heard.

Thud— Thud—.

Because of that, Cha Yul-ryeong had no choice but to swallow his words.

And a mont later, Seo Shin-won appeared from the entrance.

"..."

As Seo Shin-won appeared, Cha Yul-ryeong looked that way and bowed his head.

Although he was still bothered by what Gok I-hyeon had said to him, he had no choice but to forcibly suppress that curiosity due to Seo Shin-won's sudden appearance.

Swoosh—.

Seo Shin-won's eyes went to the broken bowl on the floor.

"Was there so kind of disturbance?"

"...It's nothing."

"..."

Seo Shin-won looked back and forth between Cha Yul-ryeong and Gok I-hyeon.

He could feel that sothing had happened before he arrived, but Seo Shin-won didn't bother to ask any further.

"Head Instructor Cha, that's enough, please leave."

"...!"

As Seo Shin-won said that, Cha Yul-ryeong was a little flustered.

He was anxious about what Gok I-hyeon might say while he was gone.

Since he might spout nonsense to Seo Shin-won, Cha Yul-ryeong wanted to stay here.

"I would like to stay here as well."

"..."

"I believe I am sufficiently qualified."

Currently, there were few people who knew Gok I-hyeon's true identity.

Excluding the person involved, Namgung Il, it was only Seo Shin-won and the head instructors.

Since his contribution was great in making Gok I-hyeon able to speak to that extent, Cha Yul-ryeong was claiming that he was qualified to listen to the story together.

However.

"Leave."

"Headmaster...!"

"Are you going to make say it three tis?"

"..."

The reply that ca back was as cold as could be.

In the end, Cha Yul-ryeong had no choice but to leave, and as soon as his presence completely disappeared, Seo Shin-won looked straight at Gok I-hyeon.

"Teacher Gok... no, Gok I-hyeon."

"..."

"I trusted you."

Seo Shin-won said, sounding sowhat sad.

At that mont, tears flowed from Gok I-hyeon's eyes.

The mocking appearance he had shown Cha Yul-ryeong just before had vanished without a trace, and it seed as if he had returned to the Gok I-hyeon everyone usually knew.

"Headmaster, I am innocent."

"..."

"I had no choice but to do so due to circumstances."

"...Are you saying you are not a remnant of the Blood Dragon Cult?"

"That's right!"

Gok I-hyeon strongly insisted.

The tears flowing from his eyes, and his lips trembling slightly as if to express his innocence.

With his already gentle-looking appearance, if a third party were to see him, they would feel as if Gok I-hyeon were truly being frad.

"It has already been eight years since I was appointed to the Flying Dragon Academy!"

"..."

"Headmaster, have you been thinking that I was a spy for the Blood Dragon Cult since then? For those eight years?"

Eight years was by no ans a short period.

During that ti, Gok I-hyeon had been so faithful to his role as a teacher that he was praised as truly excellent, and his reputation as a colleague was also very good.

To think that all of that was a false appearance... It was a very hard thing to believe for soone who had watched him for a long ti.

"It's , Headmaster!"

"..."

"It's Gok I-hyeon. For , who has taught students here for a whopping eight years, to be a remnant of the Blood Dragon Cult... isn't that impossible?"

Gok I-hyeon continued to insist on his innocence.

Just then, Seo Shin-won approached Gok I-hyeon without a word.

Standing right in front, he reached for Gok I-hyeon's clothes, and then, pulling at once, he tore the clothes.

Chwaak—.

The clothes Gok I-hyeon was wearing tore as easily as paper.

And the revealed naked body.

On Gok I-hyeon's chest was a large burn scar that extended to his abdon.

"That burn scar."

"..."

"You said you got it while rescuing people from a village that was on fire."

Seo Shin-won said, looking at the burn scar.

Gok I-hyeon stopped his tears and just listened quietly, and Seo Shin-won, just as he had torn the clothes, extended his right hand forward again.

"At that ti, I believed those words. I thought that with your character, you would willingly sacrifice your own life for others."

"..."

"But... now that I know your true identity, that scar looks different."

Grip—.

Seo Shin-won placed his hand on Gok I-hyeon's chest.

Soon, just as when he had torn the clothes, he grabbed Gok I-hyeon's flesh, and in that state, he pulled with force.

Chwaak—.

The skin was peeled off.

No, to be precise, the fake skin was peeled off, and the real skin of Gok I-hyeon that had been hidden underneath was revealed.

"...Will you still claim you are innocent?"

A tattoo was drawn on Gok I-hyeon's chest and stomach.

A mark of a red dragon, which Seo Shin-won also knew well.

That was evidence that could no longer be denied.

"...Hehe."

"..."

"As expected, I can't fool the Headmaster's eyes."

Gok I-hyeon said with a laugh.

Is he really the sa person who was shedding tears earlier?

If he had seen it without knowing Gok I-hyeon's true identity, he would have thought so, but Seo Shin-won already knew that this was his true nature.

"...Since when?"

"The one I serve has only ever been Him!"

"..."

"Eight years ago. After coming here, I have always longed for the day I would be used for Him."

Those words ant that he hadn't infiltrated the Flying Dragon Academy from the beginning, aiming for the Blood Spot Grass.

Well, the first ti the Blood Spot Grass was discovered was after Gok I-hyeon had beco a teacher, and it had been moved from the Martial Alliance to the Flying Dragon Academy even more recently.

So, Gok I-hyeon had been a teacher for eight years, hiding his identity without any purpose.

Seo Shin-won found that fact even more chilling.

"...Is it just you?"

"..."

"I asked if you are the only remnant of the Blood Dragon Cult hiding in the Flying Dragon Academy."

Seo Shin-won asked, emitting a sharp aura.

Normally, one would shrink back from that pressure, but Gok I-hyeon laughed even louder.

"Your question is wrong."

"..."

"Why do you think it's only in the Flying Dragon Academy?"

"...What?"

"The mbers of the Blood Dragon Cult are everywhere. And... they are always ready to lay down their lives for His resurrection."

"..."

Those words ant that there could be a spy for the Blood Dragon Cult in the Martial Alliance as well.

It sounded like a truly absurd story, but Seo Shin-won couldn't just ignore those words.

"...I asked if there are more remnants like you in the Flying Dragon Academy."

"..."

"Just answer that question."

Even if there really was a spy in the Martial Alliance, that was none of Seo Shin-won's business.

His role was, after all, to protect the Flying Dragon Academy.

The Martial Alliance side was a problem the Alliance Leader had to deal with.

"...Well."

"..."

"There could be, or there could not be. If not... all the students in the Flying Dragon Academy could actually be mbers of the Blood Dragon Cult."

Gok I-hyeon said and laughed like a madman.

An appearance that was clearly telling a lie, not the truth.

He had expected it to so extent, but it seed he had no intention of opening his mouth easily.

"...Then let ask the question differently."

"..."

"Do you rember seeing this?"

Seo Shin-won said and took out a piece of paper, holding it out.

Gok I-hyeon glanced at it, and his expression hardened slightly.

"...What is this?"

"Namgung Il received it."

"..."

"Namgung Il went to the Labyrinth of Sacrifice after receiving this."

"This... Namgung Il?"

What appeared in Gok I-hyeon's eyes as he said that was clear agitation.

Seeing that reaction, did it an that the person who had sent this letter to Namgung Il was not Gok I-hyeon?

Seo Shin-won had guessed as much, but he still couldn't be sure.

"Who sent this?"

"..."

"You seem to know."

"...That woman, is she perhaps trying to refuse her important duty!"

Just then, Gok I-hyeon shouted in anger.

That woman?

Seo Shin-won instinctively knew that that woman was the person who had sent this letter.

"That woman? Who are you talking about?"

"Ugh... Why! To have been given such a noble role... why are you trying to refuse it!"

"..."

"Unforgivable... Unforgivable!"

Gok I-hyeon was continuously muttering words that only he could understand.

Of course, Seo Shin-won couldn't understand those words at all, but he could be sure of one thing.

That Gok I-hyeon was truly enraged right now.

Gok I-hyeon's anger, directed at the unknown woman, felt as if he were facing a mortal enemy.

Clang—.

It was then.

The chains binding Gok I-hyeon shook violently, and cracks appeared in the wall, as if they would be pulled out at any mont.

'This is...!'

Seo Shin-won could notice the change that had occurred in Gok I-hyeon's body.

Those bloodshot eyes... and the bulging veins on his body.

In the end, the chains could not withstand Gok I-hyeon's strength and were pulled out from the wall.

"...!"

At that mont, Gok I-hyeon's hand went for Seo Shin-won.

He had tried to grab his neck with the intent to kill for sure, but before that, Seo Shin-won's sword cut the opponent's neck more quickly.

Chwaak—.

A flawless, clean movent.

Gok I-hyeon's hand stopped before it could grab Seo Shin-won's neck, and as his bloodshot eyes returned to normal, red blood rose from another place instead.

A head fell to the floor.

Even though he had been separated from his body and had died, a trendous anger could be felt on Gok I-hyeon's face.

"...I've killed him."

In fact, for the sake of interrogation, he should have subdued him in a way that kept him alive as much as possible.

However, Seo Shin-won knew well that the Blood Dragon Cult, in such a state, could not be easily subdued.

In the past, how many comrades had died from that bloodshot appearance?

He didn't know if it was because of the mory of that ti, but Seo Shin-won had cut Gok I-hyeon's neck without realizing it.

"..."

Who on earth was Gok I-hyeon's anger directed at?

Seo Shin-won looked down at Gok I-hyeon, who had beco a cold corpse, and pondered that question for a long ti.

(End of Chapter)